Smarter Cities Use Software to Engage Citizens

Alex Steffen writes in his new book, Carbon Zero , “How we build this coming wave of cities will largely decide not only the quality of life of the people living in them, but also the future of our planet.” This is true for both new and existing cities – if we figure how to make them smarter and more sustainable, we might still have a chance. But how do we do that, exactly? The answer is probably as complex as the challenge, but the search for the right tools and ideas is already going on with dozens of companies that want to help cities address the issues associated with rapid urbanization. One company, SAP , develops solutions such as the Urban Matters program to help urban governments deliver better-run cities. At the beginning of the month, SAP organized a panel to discuss what it means to be a “best run city.” Moderated by Sean O’Brien , Global VP, Urban Matters and P...